Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a folding score and a method and apparatus for forming such folding score. More particularly, the present invention relates to a reverse folding score and a method and apparatus for forming such reverse folding score in a panel of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard or the like.
Background
The processing of sheet material to transform such sheet material to a useable form such as a box, display device or the like normally involves utilizing a rotary die or flat die to cut a blank from the sheet material and to provide it with various scores, slits, etc. for the purpose of forming tear strips, punch outs, fold lines, etc. in the blank. These cuts, scores, slits, etc. are commonly formed through the use of cutting and creasing or scoring rules mounted into or onto the die.
To facilitate folding of sheet material such as corrugated paperboard, fold lines or scores are formed in the material by scoring dies, sometimes commonly referred to as scoring rules. Various configurations of folding lines or folding scores currently exist. These include, among others, single scores in which the sheet material is compressed or creased along a single line, double scores in which the sheet material is compressed or creased along a double line or pair of parallel lines, broken scores in which the sheet material is compressed or creased along a single or double line with intermittent areas of non-compression, and slit or perforal scores in which portions of the sheet material are cut along a single or double line, with areas where the material is not cut.
Although some of the above scores enable the sheet material to be reverse folded, i.e., folded in a direction away from the surface on which the score is formed, there is a continuing need in the art for a folding score which facilitates folding of a sheet material in a direction away from the scored surface, i.e., a reverse folding score.